The
71-year-old, a veteran filmmaker and novelist, received a Toyota Fortuner GD6
and US$50,000 in cash from Chivayo.
He says
opportunists have suddenly emerged, claiming they “facilitated” the gesture and
now want a cut of the money.
Speaking to the
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Chiundura-Moyo said the gift has brought
him more “friends and relatives” than he has ever seen in his life.
“First, I’d
like to thank Sir Wicknell Chivayo for honouring me as a playwright, filmmaker
and novelist.
“But, to be
honest with you, I’ve become a target of people who claim that they persuaded
Chivayo to honour me this way.
“Some of them
are now demanding cash from me, claiming they did their best to ensure that I
received this honour,” he said.
He added: “The funny part of it is that I’ve been in
the game for the past 50 years and it’s only God who can reward people.
“I’m shocked
that people are making these weird demands. I was very certain that this would
happen.
“I can’t thank
God enough for what He has done for me to be honoured this way.”
He said he will
not be fooled by con artists. “The money and the car I received from Chivayo
are worth more than my pension because I’m now an elderly man and no one will
employ me.
“What I truly
cherish is that after all these years in the game, I’m finally being rewarded.
“For a long
time, piracy destroyed the book and film industry, and we lost millions. So
this recognition means a lot to me.”
When asked what
he plans to do with the money from Chivayo, the veteran storyteller said:
“I’ve invested
US$40,000 in the money market, and I’ll only know how much I have earned after
12 months.
“The remaining
funds will go toward purchasing studio equipment that I need for my work.
“It was a
deliberate decision as I didn’t want to become a target for thieves or
robbers.” Chiundura-Moyo has also
offered words of wisdom to young writers looking up to him.
“I’ve always
told creatives to follow their passion because money or fortune will come
later.
“I’d reached a
point where I never thought I’d be honoured like I am today.
“I’m grateful
to be recognised at a stage when I’m almost at retirement age, if I had been
formally employed.
“I can’t thank
God enough for this honour, which means a lot to me and my career.”
Chiundura-Moyo,
who has been sharing pictures with his younger brother Jonah Moyo of
Deverangwena, said his family will always comes first.
“I’ve always
maintained good relations with my siblings but many people didn’t know that
Jonah Moyo is my brother.
“He has always
been there for me. When he received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in
Creative and Performing Arts from Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), thanks to
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, I supported him because we’ve come a long way
together.
“He has been
part of my creative journey and today, I’m glad he’s here for me. I personally
invited him to come and celebrate this special occasion with me,” he said. H
Metro
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